9 ways to make reading fun

We can all agree that books are both simply the best and better than all the rest. Right? Right! But when you’re trying to help kids read, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut. That’s why we’ve cooked up this handy guide featuring the best ways to teach a child to read. All aboard!

1.Channel your inner Shakespeare

Reading the words is just the start. Why not get dramatic and throw in some accents? Or raid your wardrobe for suitably splendid costumes? (Hint: a deerstalker cap and magnifying glass make suitable accoutrements for our personalised search-and-find story, Where Are You…?)

2.Add an extra dimension

Take storytime to a whole new level by changing your surroundings. Reading The Incredible Intergalactic Journey Home? Pop a saucepan on your head, drape a blanket over the kitchen table, then climb inside your makeshift ‘spaceship’. Whoosh!

3.Start your own book club

Asking questions about the book you’ve just read together is a great way to help kids engage with the story. Follow our whimsical personalised tale The Wondrous Road Ahead by asking your little ones how they can be kind, brave or curious tomorrow. Oprah’s Book Club ain’t got nothin’ on you!

4.Play a round of bingo

Creating a bingo card with some of the words from the story you’re reading is a tip-top way to keep kids focused. When they shout “bingo!” you can discuss all the words they’ve found. Bingo!

5.Pick a book you like, too

We’re not always crazy about our kids’ favourite books. And that can stop storytime from being as totally 100% fun as it should be – for you and your little one. The solution? Don’t just read a book they love – make sure it’s one you love, too.

6.Remember: teamwork makes the dream work

No matter how magnificent your storytelling skills are, kids always appreciate a change. So if there’s a friend or family member around, invite them to make a special guest appearance. Maybe you’ll pick up some hot new oratorical tips.

7.Take a field trip

Little ones love our personalised take on Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, My Golden Ticket. Make it an extra-delicious experience with a field trip to your local chocolatier or sweet shop. And see if you can find any luminous lollipops.

8.Write your own sequel

We all know that Rocky is one of the greatest films ever made. But Rocky IV is even better (and that’s not up for debate). So if you know a book upside down and inside out, why not take the characters and create a sequel of your own? You could even do it together with your little one.

9.Put the ‘time’ into storytime

As Phil Collins once sang, “you can’t hurry love.” What he forgot to mention is that you also can’t hurry a good spaghetti sauce. Or, more importantly, storytime. So however you choose to spice up your reading, make sure it’s a luxuuurrriiiously unhurried affair.

Check out our smorgasbord of personalised stories. They’re perfect for helping children read. And we think they’re pretty fun for big kids, too.